The prospectors hunting hydrogen along a US continental riftMon, 16 Jun 2025 22:00:40 +0100 A gaggle of companies are searching the US Midwest for underground hydrogen fuel produced by a billion-year-old split in the continent – New Scientist visited one of the first to start drilling | |
The Milky Way's black hole may be spinning at top speedMon, 16 Jun 2025 21:00:06 +0100 Using machine learning to analyse data from the Event Horizon Telescope, researchers found the black hole at the centre of our galaxy is spinning almost as fast as possible | |
The radical idea that space-time remembers could upend cosmologyMon, 16 Jun 2025 17:00:54 +0100 There are new hints that the fabric of space-time may be made of "memory cells" that record the whole history of the universe. If true, it could explain the nature of dark matter and much more | |
Stunning pictures show the first ever artificial solar eclipseMon, 16 Jun 2025 16:30:16 +0100 The Proba-3 mission, consisting of two spacecraft that fly in close formation to study the sun, has returned images of the first ever artificial solar eclipse | |
The chilling discovery that nerve cells help cancers grow and spreadMon, 09 Jun 2025 17:00:03 +0100 A new understanding of how tumours exploit our nervous system is leading to new ways to treat cancer using familiar drugs like Botox and beta blockers | |
How to use psychology to feel better about how you look in a swimsuitWed, 11 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Recent research delves into our issues with "seasonal body image dissatisfaction", says David Robson, who has advice on how to combat it during the summer months | |
Four science-based rules that will make your conversations flowThu, 12 Jun 2025 17:00:24 +0100 If you struggle with small talk or find it hard to express yourself, research by psychologist Alison Wood Brooks and others will help you master the art of conversation | |
Tutankhamun was only a D-list pharaoh. So why was his tomb so opulent?Tue, 10 Jun 2025 17:00:04 +0100 He was a minor king, yet Tutankhamun’s tomb might have been the most richly stocked of all in ancient Egypt. Now research is revealing the surprising reasons why he was given such a lavish send-off | |
Fabulous time travel novel is part-thriller and part-romanceWed, 11 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 In Kaliane Bradley's The Ministry of Time, a young woman must help a naval commander snatched from death in 1847 adapt to the 21st century. Time travel thriller meets romance in this excellent novel | |
How a US agriculture agency became key in the fight against bird fluFri, 13 Jun 2025 22:00:25 +0100 Amidst an ongoing outbreak of a deadly bird flu virus in livestock, the US Department of Agriculture is doing more to prevent the spread than public health agencies are | |
Earth’s mantle may have hidden plumes venting heat from its coreFri, 13 Jun 2025 20:37:16 +0100 A ‘ghost plume’ identified deep in the mantle beneath Oman suggests there may be more heat flowing out of Earth’s core than previously thought | |
Giant atoms 'trapped' for record time at room temperatureFri, 13 Jun 2025 20:00:08 +0100 Putting unusually large atoms in a box with cold copper sides helped researchers control them for an unprecedented 50 minutes at room-temperature, an improvement necessary for building more powerful quantum computers and simulators | |
Perseverance rover may hold secrets to newly discovered Mars volcanoFri, 13 Jun 2025 19:00:07 +0100 There appears to be a volcano near Jezero crater on Mars and the Perseverance rover might already have samples from it that we could use to precisely date the activity of another planet's volcano for the first time | |
Microwaves seem to experience imaginary time – and now we know howFri, 13 Jun 2025 18:00:50 +0100 Almost a decade ago, researchers calculated that microwaves can seemingly spend an imaginary amount of time within a material – now an experiment reveals how the phenomenon is perfectly real | |
Blood vessel organoids quickly minimise damage to injured tissueFri, 13 Jun 2025 17:00:39 +0100 Blood vessels grown in the lab in just five days could quickly prevent the tissue damage that can occur after an accident | |
Light has been made into a fluid that simulates space-timeThu, 12 Jun 2025 16:00:29 +0100 By using light to emulate the structure of space-time, researchers can better understand black holes – and the exotic objects that mimic them | |
Is superintelligent AI just around the corner, or just a sci-fi dream?Fri, 13 Jun 2025 15:30:16 +0100 Tech CEOs are promising increasingly outlandish visions of the 2030s, powered by "superintelligence", but the reality is that even the most advanced AI models can still struggle with simple puzzles | |
Inside Europe's largest jellyfish farmWed, 11 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Images from a jellyfish-breeding facility in Germany showcase the luminous invertebrates' environmental challenges and medical promise | |
Physicist Frank Close's new book is a welcome rework of the atomic ageWed, 11 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 The story of the birth and growth of nuclear science is rebalanced in Destroyer of Worlds, which gives due prominence to the role of women | |
Why John Stewart Bell has been haunting quantum mechanics for decadesThu, 12 Jun 2025 20:33:30 +0100 The “Bell test” was devised in the 1960s to uncover what’s going on in the quantum world, but it continues to be relevant today, says Karmela Padavic-Callaghan | |
Complex blood vessel nets could be 3D printed for artificial organsThu, 12 Jun 2025 20:00:57 +0100 Artificial organ transplants have been held back by the difficulty of making networks of blood vessels - a problem scientists are now taking steps to overcome | |
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory is about to totally transform astronomyThu, 12 Jun 2025 17:27:37 +0100 With the ability to scan the entire southern night sky every three days, the huge Vera C. Rubin Observatory could be about to start solving the mysteries of the universe, from dark matter to Planet Nine | |
How you breathe could reveal a lot about your healthThu, 12 Jun 2025 17:00:30 +0100 Your breathing patterns are unique to you - and could be linked to your weight and mental health | |
Trump's proposed science cuts will have huge consequencesWed, 11 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 The universe will still be there to marvel at, despite brutal cuts set to hit NASA and the National Science Foundation's budgets. But the damage to future research will be long-lasting, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein | |
Does this new tent repel both water and the laws of physics?Wed, 11 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Feedback is tickled by a marketing email touting a new range of tents, which promises revolutionary waterproofing technology | |
Can any nation protect against a Ukraine-style drone smuggling attack?Thu, 12 Jun 2025 11:20:07 +0100 Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb showed how small, cheap drones can be smuggled into a country and used against expensive military hardware. Now, there are concerns that nations like the US and UK aren't ready to defend against a similar attack | |
A woman's body is a man's world. Just ask an anatomist...Wed, 11 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 From Fallopian tubes to the G-spot, long-dead men have left their mark on women's anatomy. It's time to turf them out, says Adam Taor | |
A compelling book asks if we are killing off the idea of private lifeWed, 11 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 How did we lose the sense that some parts of life should be off-limits rather than open to commodification? Tiffany Jenkins's thoughtful new book Strangers and Intimates explores | |
Disney and Universal lawsuit may be killing blow in AI copyright warsWed, 11 Jun 2025 21:58:37 +0100 Two huge movie studios are suing Midjourney, claiming the firm’s AI has been trained on their copyrighted material – the entrance of the Hollywood giants into this legal fight could be a watershed moment for AI and copyright | |
The discovery that cancer hacks nerves could lead to fairer treatmentsWed, 11 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 With rising cancer rates, we need more good news, and the latest finding that cancer interacts with the nervous system means cheap and readily available drugs could help | |
Cyborg tadpoles are helping us learn how brain development startsWed, 11 Jun 2025 17:16:23 +0100 Implants that monitor the neural activity of frog embryos as they grow into tadpoles and then adults could offer a window into the developing brain | |
Mind-reading AI turns paralysed man's brainwaves into instant speechWed, 11 Jun 2025 17:00:37 +0100 A brain-computer interface has enabled a man with paralysis to have real-time conversations, without the usual delay in speech | |
The man quietly spending $1 billion on climate actionWed, 11 Jun 2025 17:00:34 +0100 From geoengineering to anti-methane cow vaccines and green aviation fuel, meet the former nuclear physicist helping to decide which climate change technologies hold the most promise | |
These images are the first time we have seen the sun's south poleWed, 11 Jun 2025 16:00:53 +0100 The Solar Orbiter spacecraft, a joint mission between the European Space Agency and NASA, is the first to venture into a tilted orbit around the sun, letting it take some unusual pictures | |
Can we stop big tech from controlling the internet with AI agents?Wed, 11 Jun 2025 15:00:09 +0100 With tech giants like Google developing ways for AI models to communicate and work together, there are fears that smaller players could get left behind in the rush to unleash AI agents on the internet | |
'Impossible' particle that hit Earth may have been dark matterWed, 11 Jun 2025 13:09:15 +0100 We may already have had our first-ever encounter with dark matter, according to researchers who say a mysteriously high-energy particle detected in 2023 is not a neutrino after all, but something far stranger | |
The arid air of Death Valley may actually be a valuable water sourceWed, 11 Jun 2025 11:00:22 +0100 An innovative device extracted a small glassful of water from the air of Death Valley desert over one day | |
Meta's AI memorised books verbatim – that could cost it billionsTue, 10 Jun 2025 19:00:39 +0100 Many AI models were trained on the text of books, but a new test found at least one model has directly memorised nearly the entirety of some books, including Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, which could complicate ongoing legal battles over copyright infringement | |
Ancient humans’ extraordinary journey to South AmericaTue, 10 Jun 2025 19:00:38 +0100 Humans first arrived in South America through a series of extraordinary migrations – and genetic studies now reveal more about how they settled and then split into four distinct groups on the continent | |
Gene editing could treat damage from 'irreversible' kidney diseaseTue, 10 Jun 2025 18:00:41 +0100 Using CRISPR to correct the mutations behind polycystic kidney disease could counter some of the damage the condition causes | |
IBM says it will build a practical quantum supercomputer by 2029Tue, 10 Jun 2025 12:00:10 +0100 The company has unveiled new innovations in quantum hardware and software that researchers hope will make quantum computing both error-proof and useful before the end of the decade | |
Starlink satellites are leaking radio signals that may ruin astronomyMon, 09 Jun 2025 18:00:55 +0100 Our ability to study faint radio signals from when the first stars began to form is being threatened by SpaceX's Starlink satellites, which seem to be unintentionally leaking radio signals that overpower astronomers' telescopes | |
Sauropod dinosaur's last meal reveals that it didn't bother to chewMon, 09 Jun 2025 17:00:01 +0100 A sauropod dinosaur fossil has been found with preserved stomach contents for the first time, providing insights into what they ate and how | |
Forest crisis sparks alarm that Europe will miss net-zero targetsMon, 09 Jun 2025 10:00:16 +0100 Extreme weather, pest outbreaks and overharvesting are turning forest carbon sinks into carbon sources across Europe, undermining a crucial part of countries’ net-zero plans | |
Discovering the marvels of mucus is inspiring amazing new medicinesTue, 03 Jun 2025 17:00:45 +0100 Mucus does far more than just act as a protective barrier. Emerging research reveals ways to harness its power and deliver treatments for everything from yeast infections to inflammatory bowel disease | |
What is the best workout to lower your blood pressure?Wed, 04 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Exercise is one of the most effective ways to lower your blood pressure, but some workouts are more effective than others. Grace Wade investigates | |
TB's extraordinary evolution reveals why the ancient disease lives onWed, 04 Jun 2025 17:00:41 +0100 Once thought to have originated in cows and spread through dust, the surprising evolutionary story of tuberculosis reveals why it's so hard to stamp out this ancient disease, writes Carl Zimmer | |
Life of first US woman in space Sally Ride makes a moving documentaryWed, 04 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 A new documentary sheds light on the extraordinary story of the US's first woman astronaut, Sally Ride, who defied all expectations in both her career and personal life | |
US stops endorsing covid-19 shots for kids – are other vaccines next?Fri, 06 Jun 2025 17:09:24 +0100 When Robert F Kennedy Jr announced that the US would stop recommending covid-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnancies, he bypassed standard protocols and set the stage for future vaccine rollbacks | |
Could we build space-time computers that run on gravity?Fri, 06 Jun 2025 17:00:04 +0100 New mathematical work provides a way to identify when information has been changed by manipulating space-time – and it may form a foundation for future space-time computers | |
Women find other women’s faces even more attractive than men doFri, 06 Jun 2025 16:51:31 +0100 Across many cultures, both men and women rate female faces as more attractive, and women exhibit this preference even more strongly than men | |
Your deepest-held beliefs form a pattern than can be predicted by AIFri, 02 May 2025 09:39:04 +0100 Knowing someone's position on a contentious topic can allow you to predict their views in other areas, thanks to an artificial intelligence that maps patterns between beliefs | |
Japan's Resilience moon lander has crashed into the lunar surfaceFri, 06 Jun 2025 12:03:09 +0100 An attempt to become the third successful private landing on the moon has ended in failure, as ispace's Resilience probe crashed due to a malfunctioning laser sensor | |
We may have discovered the first-ever stars powered by dark matterFri, 06 Jun 2025 11:23:49 +0100 Dark stars were first suggested in 2007, but now observations with the James Webb Space Telescope hint that we may have actually found some of these unusual cosmic objects | |
The best new science fiction books of June 2025Fri, 06 Jun 2025 10:00:23 +0100 June’s sci-fi hot tips feature a sleep-killing neural chip from Laura Elliott, plus Will Carver's vision of a world where a virus makes us kinder | |
Dazzling oak leaf prints merge science and natureWed, 04 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Artist Clare Hewitt uses fallen oak leaves and sunlight to create her works of art before returning the leaves to the forest | |
Why exploring "equality" in a new maths book may help the real worldWed, 04 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Understanding the meaning of "equals" in mathematics tells us a lot about both the nuance and richness in the field, but also how ideas of equality are used or misused in life | |
Taurine may not be a key driver of ageing after allThu, 05 Jun 2025 20:00:48 +0100 Taurine supplements have previously been found to extend the lifespan of monkeys and mice, but a new study in humans shows that the amino acid doesn’t decline with age | |
Retinal implant restores sight for blind miceThu, 05 Jun 2025 20:00:13 +0100 Metallic nanoparticles injected into the retina partly restored vision in blind mice and could work as a treatment for conditions that damage light-sensitive cells in the eye | |
Worms team up to form tentacles when they want to go placesThu, 05 Jun 2025 17:00:23 +0100 Thousands of tiny nematode worms can join up to form tentacle-like towers that can straddle large gaps or hitch rides on larger animals | |
Fusion power may never happen if we don't fix the lithium bottleneckThu, 05 Jun 2025 17:00:57 +0100 Nuclear fusion power will probably require vast quantities of enriched lithium – but we aren’t making nearly enough, and ramping up production will mean using toxic mercury | |
We've figured out how our brains sort imagination from realityThu, 05 Jun 2025 17:00:47 +0100 Two brain regions seem to work together to determine whether we are seeing something real, or merely a product of our imaginations - and understanding them further may help treat visual hallucinations | |
Could undersea living be the future as sea levels rise?Wed, 04 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 In this latest instalment of Future Chronicles, an imagined history of future inventions, we journey to 2035, when undersea living became a reality. Rowan Hooper tells us how it happened | |
Ancient humans evolved to be better teachers as technology advancedThu, 05 Jun 2025 12:30:56 +0100 As our ancestors developed more advanced tools and cultural practices, they also developed new ways of explaining concepts to others – culminating in the emergence of complex language | |
Could a race between microscopic competitors be the next big thing?Wed, 04 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Feedback is amazed to see sperm racing touted as a new track sport, but it’s going to take a lot of CGI and other fakery to help it take off | |
Why nobody is neurodiverse and nobody is neurotypicalWed, 04 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Being accurate in the language we use to describe conditions like ADHD matters, and can lead to better outcomes for those affected. The words we choose to use are important, say Alex Conner and James Brown, hosts of podcast The ADHD Adults | |
Quantum computers are on the edge of revealing new particle physicsWed, 04 Jun 2025 17:00:03 +0100 Computer simulations of high-energy particles are pushing the boundaries of what we can learn about the interactions that happen inside particle colliders | |
The bizarre story of a maths proof that is only true in JapanThu, 05 Jun 2025 09:00:26 +0100 A 500-page proof that only a handful of people in the world claim to understand kicked off a saga unlike anything else in the history of mathematics – and now there’s a new twist to the story, says Jacob Aron | |
Ambitious book on quantum physics still fails to be accessibleWed, 04 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 A new book on quantum physics is pleasingly full of cutting-edge topics. Yet it isn't the accessible work it promised to be | |
Is ADHD on the rise? No – but that answer doesn't tell the whole storyThu, 05 Jun 2025 01:01:08 +0100 Despite reports of a recent surge in ADHD, a global analysis has found no reliable evidence of an increase in the number of children diagnosed with the condition since 2020 | |
Dead Sea Scrolls analysis may force rethink of ancient Jewish historyWed, 04 Jun 2025 20:00:27 +0100 Thanks to AI and modern carbon dating techniques, we have a new understanding of when the Dead Sea Scrolls were written – which could revise the story of Judea | |
Why avoiding a sixth mass extinction is easier than it soundsWed, 04 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Putting an end to a mass extinction sounds like an impossible task, but some researchers argue that doing so would be setting our ambitions too low | |
Rivers are leaking ancient carbon back into the atmosphereWed, 04 Jun 2025 17:00:59 +0100 Carbon stored in landscapes for thousands of years is leaching back into the atmosphere via rivers, and human activity may be to blame | |
Massaging the neck and face may help flush waste out of the brainWed, 04 Jun 2025 17:00:44 +0100 Scientists have found a way to boost the brain's system to clear waste from the organ in mice, which could open treatment possibilities for neurodegenerative diseases | |
Adhesive made from wood works in a standard glue gunWed, 04 Jun 2025 12:17:09 +0100 Most widely used adhesives are toxic and derived from petroleum, but researchers have come up with a safe, recyclable alternative made from xylan, a component of plant cell walls | |
Can AI understand a flower without being able to touch or smell?Wed, 04 Jun 2025 11:00:37 +0100 AI may be limited by a lack of taste, touch and smell which prevents it from fully understanding concepts in the same way as humans - suggesting that more advanced models may need to have a robot body | |
There’s growing evidence the big five mass extinctions never happenedMon, 02 Jun 2025 14:00:25 +0100 Surprising new fossil evidence undermines the idea that there was ever a mass extinction on land – and may force us to reframe the current biodiversity crisis | |
Crafty cockatoos learn to use public drinking fountainsWed, 04 Jun 2025 01:01:25 +0100 Sulphur-crested cockatoos are waiting in line at public drinking fountains in Sydney to have their daily drinks of water in the latest example of cultural evolution in urban birds | |
Infant RSV shot may be more effective than vaccines during pregnancyTue, 03 Jun 2025 22:03:01 +0100 When an RSV vaccine became available for use during pregnancy, it offered a natural experiment between various countries to see how it compared to a one-time antibody injection | |
NASA is facing the biggest crisis in its historyTue, 03 Jun 2025 19:10:07 +0100 Widespread proposed budget cuts have left the US space agency facing an uncertain future at the same time as NASA’s intended new leader has been withdrawn by the Trump administration | |
Why it's taking a century to pin down the speed of the universeTue, 03 Jun 2025 19:00:58 +0100 The Hubble constant, a set number that connects a galaxy’s speed to its distance from Earth and tells us how fast the universe is expanding, was first described more than a hundred years ago – but astronomers have debated it ever since | |
Private ispace Resilience probe will attempt lunar landing this weekTue, 03 Jun 2025 17:05:30 +0100 If successful, Resilience will be only the third private spacecraft to complete a landing on the moon, and the first operated by a non-US company | |
Super-invasive termites could spread from Florida around the worldTue, 03 Jun 2025 18:32:04 +0100 Two of the most destructive invasive termite species are interbreeding in the US – they can survive a wider range of temperatures and could easily spread across the globe | |
Quarter of people follow rules even with no downside to breaking themTue, 03 Jun 2025 09:00:48 +0100 Why do we follow rules? A series of experiments with more than 14,000 people reveals that around a quarter of us will follow rules unconditionally, even if obeying them harms us and there is no downside to breaking them | |
There may be a surprising upside to losing coral reefs as oceans warmMon, 02 Jun 2025 21:00:17 +0100 As warmer waters and ocean acidification reduce coral formation, the seas will take up more carbon dioxide – an effect that hasn't been included in climate models | |
Best quantum 'transistor' yet could lead to more accurate computersMon, 02 Jun 2025 19:00:27 +0100 Microwaves can control a single quantum bit more precisely than ever before, creating a device similar to a quantum transistor – and potentially making quantum computers more reliable | |
Trillion dollars' worth of platinum waiting to be mined on the moonMon, 02 Jun 2025 14:00:29 +0100 Mining craters on the moon could be more practical than extracting precious metals from asteroids, but it might also introduce new legal difficulties | |
Dogs pollute water with pesticides even weeks after flea treatmentMon, 02 Jun 2025 12:04:31 +0100 When dogs given spot treatments for fleas go swimming, they release levels of pesticides dangerous to aquatic life for at least a month after the treatment | |
The global temperature may be even higher than we thoughtMon, 02 Jun 2025 11:00:00 +0100 Researchers have proposed a more accurate way to calculate the global surface air temperature, which suggests we are just three years away from breaching the 1.5°C climate goal | |
Can imagining a better future really make it come true?Wed, 28 May 2025 17:00:42 +0100 Manifestation is easy to dismiss as unscientific nonsense. Certain techniques used in the practice, though, do work — just not in the magical way some people think, as neuroscientist Sabina Brennan elucidates | |
How visualisation sets you up for success by changing your cognitionWed, 28 May 2025 15:00:32 +0100 The vividness of your mind’s eye isn't fixed - and training it up is the secret tool of top athletes and businesspeople. Here’s how you can help develop yours | |
Does the old concept of companion planting have any science behind it?Wed, 28 May 2025 19:00:00 +0100 The belief that adding certain plants around crops will boost their growth is an old one, but will your tomatoes' yield and flavour really be improved by growing tasty herbs alongside them? James Wong investigates | |
The extremes of imagination reveal how our brains perceive realityTue, 27 May 2025 19:00:17 +0100 The worlds inside our heads can be dramatically different. What does that reveal about how our minds shape our lives, asks cognitive neurologist Adam Zeman | |
The four types of imagination and how they create our worldsTue, 27 May 2025 17:00:13 +0100 Your imagination isn't just one thing. The latest neuroscience is untangling just how diverse this faculty really is, says cognitive neurologist Adam Zeman | |
How the new Murderbot TV series made me a reluctant convertWed, 28 May 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Murderbot fans will be thrilled to learn that the cyborg security unit that gains free will by hacking its governor module is now the star of a compelling adaptation. Bethan Ackerley has unexpectedly joined their ranks | |
Your imagination doesn’t get worse as you age – but it does changeTue, 27 May 2025 16:00:06 +0100 It’s natural to associate wild flights of fantasy with children and a more mundane internal world with adult life. The latest research, though, shows that isn't the whole picture | |
Any wall can be turned into a camera to see around cornersFri, 30 May 2025 15:00:09 +0100 Researchers have developed algorithms that reconstruct a hidden image from the scrambled light waves that bounce off a wall, making it possible to see things behind a corner | |
At this rate, carbon dioxide removal will never matter for the climateFri, 30 May 2025 15:00:03 +0100 The carbon dioxide removal industry is struggling to grow at the pace needed to have a significant role in meeting climate targets | |
Should you still learn a second language if AI can translate for you?Fri, 30 May 2025 13:00:51 +0100 Artificial intelligence has removed many of the barriers to understanding a new language, but there are still good reasons to do things the old-fashioned way | |
PTSD in 9/11 responders didn’t start improving for nearly a decadeFri, 30 May 2025 12:00:58 +0100 Most 9/11 first responders experienced improvement in PTSD symptoms about 10 years after the traumatic event, but approximately 10 per cent saw symptoms worsen even two decades later | |